A Few Bad Men

“From changing ROE (Rules of Engagement) to a vivid story of leadership, challenging choices, betrayal, and the opportunities of the major players in the event to be either heroes of villains, A Few Bad Men creates a powerful, true story of adversity and choices...A Few Bad Men ideally will earn a place not just in military history libraries, but throughout military and civilian discussion groups interested in good and bad choices and the influences that lead not just individuals but nations into bad situations.” -- Midwest Book Review
“Fred Galvin’s story is a page turner that reads like the fanciful plot of an A-list Hollywood movie. It’s an extraordinary cliffhanger that deserves attention, and shows just how dangerous ‘fake news’ can be, when no one is willing to stand up for the truth. This is a cautionary tale that should be read by all who are interested in politics, war stories, courtroom drama, and international affairs as this new world we’re living in, where simple lies are being propagated as the truth, is sadly not one that is going away anytime soon.” -- David Jung, Screenwriter and Director of films including Roam, The Possession of Michael King and Genre Summit
“A Few Bad Men reveals how the U.S. military, desperate to protect its public image at all costs, sometimes sacrifices the honor of men in combat. The country’s first Marine special operations unit was falsely accused of killing Afghan civilians, then subjected to years of lies and deceit by top generals. The unit and its commander, retired Maj. Fred Galvin, were ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing, but not before their careers were ruined and their honor stained.” -- David Zucchino, Journalist covering the 2008 MARSOC Court of Inquiry for The Los Angeles Times
“We take for granted that our American heroes will be supported by their own country when sent off to war. In A Few Bad Men, Maj. Fred Galvin, USMC (Ret.), and Sal Manna detail the painful story of these seven heroes who, when their honor and freedom were on the line, found themselves abandoned by those they counted on most. It reads like a Hollywood blockbuster but, as Galvin tells in personal detail, it was sadly true. It’s a story I was proud to report for local news in Los Angeles, and it’s now a story every American should read for themselves.” -- Jory Rand, television anchor with ABC-7 in Los Angeles where he covered the MARSOC 7 case for three years
“Major Fred Galvin has written an incredible account of how our front-line leadership overcame insurmountable odds. A must read for all leaders.” -- Lieutenant General Thomas McInerney, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) former assistant Vice Chief of Staff—Headquarters U.S. Air Force
“Simply put, A Few Bad Men captures the difficult nature of raising young men to fight our complex wars—from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and political beliefs—while expecting perfection and good decision making, while under fire, in such a short time. A Few Bad Men additionally illustrates the importance of proper training, leadership, and complete trust in the men and women on the ground fighting on the front lines. This book also shows us how big of a mistake it is to allow politics to get involved during investigations while some are chasing careers at any cost, and that there should be a separation between politics and war fighters to keep those actions that are distinctly different apart, and allow both sides to properly and honestly conduct their jobs. Major Galvin captures this well and explores the thoughts behind rushed judgments, politics, and those on the ground simply doing their jobs the best they can.” -- Sergeant Major Tom Satterly, U.S. Army (Ret.) former Command Sergeant Major of a Joint Special Operations Unit, Combat veteran, Author, Co-founder and Co-CEO of All Secure Foundation
“A Few Bad Men is a journey into the mindscape of the warfighter, fought first on the battlefield, then in the court of opinion, where politicians and Monday morning quarterbacks rule. I believe that ‘the use of force produces many effects, not all of which can be foreseen.’ This book is a powerful depiction of combat and a battle for justice and vindication. A must-read.” -- Jason Van Camp, former U.S. Army Special Forces Operational Detachment A-Team leader, Combat veteran, Executive Director— Warrior Rising, and bestselling author
“Major Galvin epitomizes ‘no better friend, no worse enemy.’ This book should be required reading for the next generation of leaders who want a real-world lesson in honor, courage, and commitment from the first commander in modern Marine Raider history.” -- Nick Coffman, Journalist covering the MARSOC 7 case since 2015 for Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP); Served in the Marine Corps in Iraq as a Sergeant
“When America sends her Marines to war, we expect that our country will be as faithful to us as we are to our country; that our political and military leaders—those responsible for sending us to war—will have our backs; that we will always receive the benefit of doubt, especially in a war that we have been fighting for more than twenty years now—a war our political and military leaders seem unwilling to win, yet unable to leave. We sleep safely in our beds at night only because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us. Major Fred Galvin is, and always will be, a Marine’s Marine; driven, focused, and totally committed to mission and his Marines. Someone our political and military leaders should be humbled by, or at the very least faithful to—always.” -- Perry Puccetti, retired Marine Corps AH-1W Cobra attack helicopter pilot, current Executive Director of VMLY&R a subsidiary of WPP plc, (NASDAQ: WPPGY)
“A Few Bad Men is a blistering, top-to-bottom critique of how senior Marine Corps leaders (and the institution itself) completely mishandled a situation in which members of a Marine Raider unit were falsely accused of war crimes.  I found myself unconsciously squirming in my chair as I read Galvin’s litany of shocking examples of failed leadership and unethical behavior by senior officers that illustrate the undeniable fact that he and his men were not only abandoned by the Marine Corps, but were subjected to a politically expedient ‘witch hunt’ that in some ways, continues to this day. I am hopeful that current Marine Corps leaders will publicly acknowledge the innocence of the MARSOC 7, and apologize for the grave injustices these brave Marines had to endure.” -- Michael Ettore, retired Marine Corps Infantryman, Drill Instructor, Infantry officer, combat veteran, author, and retired from Kfor (NASDAQ:KFRC) serving in various C-level roles including: Director - Leadership Development Program, VP of Operations, CIO, and Chief Services Officer